Russel Myles

Mr. Myles has been engaged in complex commercial and business litigation for more than twenty-five years. He has defended and prosecuted partner and shareholder disputes, claims against officers and directors, professional liability claims, intellectual property disputes, franchise termination suits, claims arising out of mergers and acquisitions, Lanham Act claims, and numerous matters involving bank and real estate development disputes.

Russel-Myles-Full.jpg

Mr. Myles’ comprehensive litigation experience also includes product liability, insurance coverage, and other claims involving economic damages. He also advises businesses on matters involving the protection of intellectual property rights and other competitive advantages. He served three years as National Director of the Defense Research Institute (22,000 members) and is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel. He was recently appointed to chair the External Policy Group of DRI’s Center for Law and Public Policy.

Mr. Myles also serves as outside general counsel for several Alabama-based businesses.

In the past five years, Mr. Myles has litigated and tried matters resulting in the recovery of nearly $75 million for business clients. He also has successfully defended in trial and arbitration proceedings a number of matters involving millions of dollars in alleged damages. In 2014, after a two week (AAA) arbitration, Mr. Myles won a defense verdict in favor of an Arkansas-based resort developer against a class of condo owners seeking more than $6 million in lost property value. At the end of the dispute, the client’s CFO had this to say about Mr. Myles and the McDowell Knight team that tried the case:

Regardless of the outcome of this case, I knew your firm had done an incredible job in preparing and defending our case. Moreover, it is amazing how quickly you were able to learn our business and weave in the facts you discovered to build a cohesive story.

More than anything, though, I’m both impressed with and appreciative of your tenacity. This may be a normal part of your practice, but it is obvious that you took this case personally in the way you defended it. What you all did for us in winning this case is worth far more than money. It sends a message to all the interested parties that we did things right, that we conduct our business with integrity even when we make mistakes along the way as we certainly do.

Finally, I want you to know that I am very appreciative of the personal relationships we’ve built through our business dealings. You are tremendous people! I feel very fortunate to have been able to get to know you over the last few years.

Education
  • The New York University School of Law, Master of Law, 1987
  • Samford University, Cumberland School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1986 cum laude
  • Recipient, George M. Stewart Award
  • Editorial Board and Managing Editor, Cumberland Law Review
  • Member, Curia Honoris, 1986
  • University of South Alabama, Bachelor of Science, 1983
Professional awards, honors, and distinctions
  • Named to Mid-South Super Lawyers (2023)
  • The Best Lawyers in America © - Commercial Litigation, Litigation: Banking and Finance (2010-2024)

Professional civic and charitable organizations

International Association of Defense Counsel

Member

Defense Research Institute

Member, Board of Directors (2007-2010) Chair, Commercial Litigation Committee (2005-2007) Member, National Nominating Committee(2014) Center for Law and Public Policy (Present) Chair, External Policy Group (Present)

Alabama Defense Lawyers Association

Member

American Bar Association

Vice Chair, Business Torts and Corporate Counsel Committee Editor, Torts and Insurance Law Journal (1999-2000)

Cumberland Continuing Legal Education Program

Faculty Member

Alabama Bar Association

Member

Mobile Bar Association

Member

Educational legal seminar presentations and lectures

Mr. Myles focuses on what he knows. Explore his published works and seminars.

Published works
  • Arbitration: Avoiding the Runaway Jury, American Journal of Trial Advocacy, Vol. 23:1, 1999
  • Anti-Competitive Claims in the Retail Petroleum Market, For the Defense, August 2000
  • Reliance: More than a Procedural Stepping Stone in Interest-Sensitive Life Insurance Class Actions, 74 Tulane Law Review 2113 (2000)
  • Preemption of Claims Against Furnishers of Credit Information, The Business Suit (Oct. 28, 2004).
  • Fantasy League Throws a No-No to Major League Baseball (Do Major League Players Have Copyright/Privacy Protections?), The Voice (Oct. 11, 2006)
  • Supreme Court Extends Brooke Group “Predatory-Pricing” Test to Apply to Claims of “Predatory-Bidding”, The Voice (March 7, 2007)
  • United States of America v. Jeffrey Stein, et al., More Fallout from the Thompson Memorandum, The Voice (August 1, 2007)
  • False Advertising Cases: Choose Your Battle Plan Wisely, For the Defense (July 2013)
Seminar presentations
  • Blaming the Caddy, Accountant and Lawyer Liability in Deals Gone Bad: Lessons Learned? Presented at DRI Program: Complex Commercial Litigation – Smart Strategies for Hard Cases (November 1-2, 2007)
  • Arbitration Soup: Recipes for Avoiding and Defending Pre-Dispute Arbitration, Presented at Cumberland Hot Topics Program (Dec. 2003)

Request a meeting with our expert legal team.

We will take the time to understand your unique legal needs and put you in contact with one of our specialized attorneys.

251-432-5300